Cycling is about "Safe exercise" and "Safe low-emission travel" The Health and Fitness objective is UNDERMINED if the means of exercise is UNSAFE! This blog STRONGLY OPPOSES certain reforms VicRoads is currently considering: “cyclists could be allowed to treat red lights as Give Way signs. And the same could also APPLY at pedestrian lights."
Also "PERMITTING cyclists, riding cautiously, to proceed past a stationary tram;" "allowing teenagers to ride on footpaths"(Herald Sun)PDowe

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Cycling Ride2School Death Fatality 11 year old SchoolBoy Riding on Pedestrian Crossing No Helmet hit and killed by Schoolbus turning Left in Geelong, Victoria Herald Sun/ Geelong Advertiser May 27th 2013 Cycling Safety Riding on the Footpath onto Road or a Crossing much more Hazardous than "Dooring!" "Making it Easier to Ride from Footpath onto Road or a Crossing" Community Safety “Cyclists are much more likely to Die from Bicycle Alone Accidents/ Bike Falls and Riding on the Footpath onto the Road or Crossing than Dooring” Cycling Safety Cycling Safely Cycling Deaths Fatalities Risk Reduction Informed Choice Victoria's Cycling Strategy Focus on Increasing/ Encouraging Cycling Participation may be Negligent Reliable Photo Identification “Cyclists who break the Law are much more likely to be killed or seriously injured” Bicycle Network Victoria

"Increasing the legal age limit for cyclists to ride
on the footpath above 11 years of age

does not better protect cyclists."

"Riding from the footpath onto the road or a crossing is much more hazardous than Dooring,

and much more hazardous over 11 years of age."

Pete Dowe

“Dooring” is a common cycling accident type “on the
radar” with the wider Victorian community,

but as part of the emphasis on other road users’
behaviour not cyclists'.

Collisions with car doors opened onto traffic or
“dooring” (DCA 163) accounts for one cyclist fatality,

and 306 serious injuries in Victoria during the period
June 30th 2004- June 30th 2013 according to VicRoads
CrashStats.

Yet Nine cyclists were fatally injured riding from
the footpath onto the road or a crossing (DCA 148) in Victoria during the same
period June 30th 2004- June 30th 2013 according to
VicRoads CrashStats.

There were also 510 cyclists seriously injured riding
from the footpath or driveway onto the road or a crossing during the same
period.

The lion’s share of these fatalities and serious injuries
also occurred to cyclists over 12 years of age riding on the footpath.

Six of the Nine cyclists fatally injured

riding from the footpath onto the road or a crossing DCA 148
in Victoria during the period June 30th 2004- June 30th 2013 according to
VicRoads CrashStats

were aged 13 years or above and therefore illegally on
the footpath.

394 of the 510 total cyclists seriously injured

riding from the footpath or driveway onto the road or a
crossing DCA 147 and DCA 148 during the same period

were aged 13 years or above and therefore illegally on
the footpath.

Therefore increasing the legal age limit for cyclists to
ride on the footpath above 12 years of age does not better protect cyclists.

Yet riding from the footpath or driveway onto the road or
a crossing is not a cycling safety issue in the wider community!

AN eleven-year-old boy has died after being struck by a school bus in Geelong this morning.Police said the Benders bus was turning left from Purnell Rd into Bacchus Marsh Rd when it hit the child who was crossing at the pedestrian lights.

"Restraint Use is Crash Helmet not Worn"

VicRoads CrashStat

VicRoads CrashStat"At this stage, the bus definitely had a green light when he took his turn but we can't yet establish whether the boy had a green man when he was crossing the road.

The bus driver came straight back here to the Corio police station and gave us a statement and is assisting us with our inquiries,'' said Corio Acting Senior Sergeant Steve Burgess

"You tell your kids so many times to use the crossing, it's the best thing, but look what's happened here." said nearby resident Leanne

Boy hit and killed by school bus in Geelong

AN eleven-year-old boy has died after being struck by a school bus in Geelong this morning.

More than 40 people including school children were on the public bus when it struck the boy at the corner of Bacchus Marsh and Purnell roads about 8.45am today.

The boy, a student at the nearby Wexford Cr campus of Northern Bay College, has been described as a happy and friendly child whose small family has only been in the country less than a year.

Police said the Benders bus was turning left from Purnell Rd into Bacchus Marsh Rd when it hit the child who was crossing at the pedestrian lights.

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Corio Acting Senior Sergeant Steve Burgess said investigators were reviewing camera footage from the bus and the nearby police station.

"At this stage, the bus definitely had a green light when he took his turn but we can't yet establish whether the boy had a green man when he was crossing the road. The bus driver came straight back here to the Corio police station and gave us a statement and is assisting us with our inquiries,'' he said.

"This is just a tragic accident, a young boy on his way to school, unfortunately we don't quite know who's to blame or who's at fault or if there was someone at fault or whether he was just blind sighted.

"I saw the boy riding alongside the bus near the houses when the bus just turned,'' he recalled.

"Everyone was just yelling and crying and screaming.''

A nearby resident Leanne, who asked for her surname to be withheld, said the moments after the accident were heartbreaking.

The aftermath of the fatal crash on Bacchus Rd, Corio Picture: Karen Dodd

"I feel so sorry for the family and for the bus driver,'' she said.

"You tell your kids so many times to use the crossing, it's the best thing, but look what's happened here.

"It's shocking.''

Acting Sen Sgt Burgess said school principals from two nearby Northern Bay college campuses attended the scene to help look after children on the bus, many of whom had been left distraught by the accident..

He said all would be offered counselling.

"It was a horrific scene for emergency responders and also the people on the bus, it's just a terrible thing to witness,'' he said.

"We've got to be mindful on the way to school that we pay attention to our roads and look out for these young children.

"We've been really lucky, really striving towards lowering our road toll and our major collision are down in the Geelong area but unfortunately this is just one of those tragic circumstances.''

Anyone who witnessed the accident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

"In over 60 per cent of (fatal) crashes, the cyclist was deemed to be ‘responsible’ for the

action that precipitated the fatal crash. This was particularly the case in crashes at intersections where the cyclist was either riding through the intersection on the road or moving from the footway onto the intersection. Cyclists were also found to be primarily responsible in other crashes where the cyclist moved from the footway to the road." Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) 2006